The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

Last 5 news

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Vatican
City, 23 May 2013
(VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father
received in audience His excellency Mr. Carlos Mauricio Funes
Cartagena, president of the Republic of El Salvador. President Funes
then met with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone,
S.D.B., accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for
Relations with States.

During
the cordial talks, satisfaction was express for the good relations
between the Holy See and the nation of El Salvador. In particular,
Servant of God Archbishop Oscar Amulfo Romero y Galdamez of San
Salvador was spoken of and the importance of his witness for the
entire nation.

Appreciation
was also expressed for the contribution that the Church offers for
the reconciliation and consolidation of peace, as well as in the
areas of charity, education, and the eradication of poverty and
organized crime. Some ethical issues such as the defence of human
life, marriage, and the family were also discussed.

Vatican
City, 23 May 2013 (VIS) – Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, native of
Benin and first African-born prelate to be prefect of a Vatican
dicastery (of the Congregation for Bishops), will be memorialised by
the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome with a Chair bearing his
name and dedicated to “Political Socialization in Africa”. The
news was made public this morning in the press office of the Holy
See, at a conference participated in by Cardinal Robert Sarah,
president of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”; His excellency
Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni, president of the Republic of Benin; Msgr.
Patrick Valdrini, rector of the Pontifical Lateran University; and
Dr. Martin Nkafu Nkemnkia, director of the Department of Human and
Social Sciences – African Studies at the Pontifical Lateran
University.

Cardinal
Gantin was born in 1922 in Toffo, Benin, and studied at the seminary
of Ouidah. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1951 and left Benin
two years later to pursue studies in Rome. He received a license in
Theology and Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University. In
1956, he was ordained a bishop and in 1960 was named metropolitan
archbishop of Cotonou. As president of the Episcopal Conference of
Benin, he participated in three sessions of Vatican Council II and in
the first World Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1967). In 1971 he
was named adjunct secretary of the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples and resigned the pastoral care of his
diocese. In 1976, he was named president of the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace. He was created a cardinal by Paul VI in 1977.
In 1984, he was named prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. Nine
years later, in 1993, he was elected dean of the College of
Cardinals. When he turned 80, no longer a cardinal elector, he
resigned his post as dean and returned to his country. He died in
Paris, where he had travelled for health reasons, in 2008 and was
buried in Ouidah. Benedict XVI, during his trip to Benin in 2011,
visited his tomb.

“Today,
23 May 2013,” Cardinal Sarah said, “the Pontifical Lateran
University dedicates a Chair in his name to recall what his life
meant for the people of Benin, for the Church in Africa, and for the
universal Church … as well as for the contribution that he made,
both on a pastoral level and his invitation to the Christian world to
participate in culture and politics as the main form of service to
the betterment of society and the spiritual well-being of humanity. …
I hope that this Chair in his name—on “Socialization Policy in
Africa”—will initiate reflection on politics in the African
context and prepare future leaders of African society who are guided
by the Church's Social Doctrine.”

For
his part, Dr. Nkafu Nkemnkia explained that the Chair will be
articulated as courses and seminars, will promote conferences and
workshops, and will seek collaboration with institutions and
structures in order to increase and give value to African political
culture. “The contribution of the Chair will be a renewal, but
above all a formation of leaders, motivated by deep-rooted ethical
principles, to overcome the difficult situation of crisis and
corruption, both in politicians as well as in civil society itself,
through a just economic vision and a more balanced form of the
service that politics should offer.”

Vatican
City, 23 May 2013
(VIS) – Today was published a letter, written in Latin and dated 18
May of this year, in which Pope Francis confirms Cardinal Agostino
Vallini as vicar general for the Diocese of Rome. Cardinal Vallini
was appointed to that position on 27 June 2008 by Benedict XVI, a
role that also entails the positions of Archpriest of St. John
Lateran Basilica and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Lateran
University.